Hartlepool United midfielder hoping to strike third round lucky in the FA Cup after exits with Bradford City, Peterborough United and Blackpool

Cooke has yet to go beyond the second round in the FA Cup across spells with three different clubs before his move to Hartlepool United in the summer.

The former Middlesbrough youth star had a loan spell with Blackpool in League One during the 2017-18 campaign where he featured in a first round tie against Boreham Wood, a meeting the National League side would come out on top in.

Since that first round exit, Cooke has gone out at the first hurdle in three of the next four seasons against former club Middlesbrough when with Peterborough United and to both Shrewsbury Town and Exeter City with Bradford City.

The one occasion Cooke has advanced to the second round came in the 2020-21 campaign where he was part of the Bantams team who were beaten by Oldham Athletic.

“From that point of view it's hard to take because personally I love the FA Cup. It’s just an unbelievable competition to be involved in,” said Cooke.

"That day at Boreham Wood I saw the disappointment from our lot being a League One team but then, on the other side of it, the joy and the jubilation from their side.”

For Hartlepool, the next part of their history in the FA Cup sees Harrogate Town arrive at the Suit Direct Stadium for what will be the third time already this season the two teams have met. Cooke’s Hartlepool got the better of Harrogate in the Papa Johns Trophy back in August but were beaten in North Yorkshire when the two sides met in the league.

“The league game at their place not so long ago was a tough one to take,” said Cooke.

“I know the result is the most important thing, don’t get me wrong, but the encouraging thing from that day was that our second half performance looked more of a threat.

“They’re down the bottom end of the table so we know it’s going to be a tight game but we just have to believe in what we’re doing. I know the results haven’t been great but we’re the only people who can change this situation. We have to be positive. We have to believe.

“We beat them in the Papa Johns earlier in the season so on aggregate, if you like, it’s 1-1 and fingers crossed we can make it 2-1 to us.”

And if Cooke is to fulfil his hope of making it to the third round of the FA Cup, the North East native has one team in mind for who he would like Hartlepool to pull out of the hat in Monday’s third round draw.

“If we get through we could potentially pull a big fish in the third round which, as a kid, that’s what you want, playing against the best players and going to the best stadiums in the world,” said Cooke.

“Hopefully we get an away draw to the Stadium of Light because I'm a Sunderland fan so that’s the ideal one for me. Either Sunderland or Newcastle away because I'd love to score the winner at St James’s.”